Apparatus for feeding sheets of paper to printing or other machines.



No. 63l,950. Patented Aug. 29, I899.

v w. CARTER. A APPARATUS FOR FEEDING SHEETS OF PAPER T0 PRINTING OR OTHER MACHINES.

(Application filed Jan. 5, 1899.) (No Model.) v 5 Sheets-Sheat I,

INVENTYOR WITNESSES: m A1115; s 422 I ATTORNEYS 'm: norms PEYER! on, PHOTD-LITMQ. wnsumcwuu. a. c.

N0. 63|,950. v Patented Aug. 29, I899.;

W. CARTER. APPARATUS FOR FEEDING SHEETS OFPAP ER T0 PRINTING OR OTHER MACHINES.

(Application filed Jan. 5. 1899.) (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2' W/T/VESSES- jmm/ @3541! W ATTORNEYS TM noams PIIYERS cu, PHOTO-LUNG" WASNINGTON. n. c.

Nd. 631,950. Ptented Aug. 29, I899.

I I w. CARTER. -APPARATUS FOR FEEDING $HEETS OF PAPER T0 PRINTING OR OTHER MACHINES.

(Application filed Jan. 5, 1899.) (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

IN VENTOH W/TNESSES: @344, '4'0 WW Armin /Us m: mums FEYERS co. mormnncu wuumnfou. u u.

Patented Aug. 29, I399.

W. CARTER.

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING SHEETS OF PAPER T0 PRINTING OR OTHER MACHINES.

Application filed Jan. 5, 1690.,-

5 Sheets-Shunt 4 iNo Model.)

"(VENTOB WITNESSES? ufa N0. 615L950. Patented Aug. 29, I899.

W. CARTER. APPARATUS FOR FEEDING SHEETS OF PAPER T0 PRINTING OR OTHER MACHINES.

(Application filed Jan, 5, 1899.)

(No Model.) 5 SheeIsSheeI 5.

Z 7 v mvE/naa WITNESSES: Z .l'a Zzu wan/M rm: uomus PETERS ca. Puo'ruuma. wnsmnmon. n. c.

PATENT Qrrrcn.

WILLIAM CARTER, or GLASGOW, SCOTLAND.

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING SHEETS OF PAPER TO PRINTING OR OTHER MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION formingpar'tof Letters Patent No. 631,950, dated August Application filed January 5, 1399-5 Serial No. 701,278. (N0 model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that LWILLIAM CARTER, lithographic printer, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at 62 Bothwell Circus, Glasgow, Scotland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Feeding Sheets of Paper to Printing or other Machines, (for which I have applied for a patent in England, No. 12,999, dated June 10, 1898,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an automatic feeder for printing and other machines to which sheets of paper require to be fed which is characterized, chiefly, by a movable holder which holds the sheets to be fed in an inclined position and automatically presents them at the proper times to a series of suction tentacles or nozzles in such a manner that said tentacles or nozzlescan withdraw the sheets one at a time and deliver them, in the case of a printing-machine, by means of traveling tapes to the printing-cylinder.

The several features of novelty constituting the invention are pointed out in the claims.

In order that my said invention may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended, by way of illustration or example,five explanatory sheets of drawings which show the sheet-feeding mechanism constructed so that it can be readily fitted to, say, a Wharfedale printing-machine.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the feeding mechanism. Fig. 2 is anelevation of one side of the mechanism. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the opposite side of the mechanism. Fig. 4 is a side view of the paper-holder when in the down or horizontal position. Fig. 5 is a view looking down on the mechanism, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a view of the paper-holder in the up or inclined position. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view of one of the suction-pumps. Fig. 8 is a detail view of one of the levers r and its connections.

Referring to the drawings,whereon the same reference-letters wherever repeated indicate the same parts, the feeding mechanism consists of a frame a, which carries in bearings at its upper end a hollow rock-shaft b, which works at each end in a sleeve 0 and which is provided with a series of loose tape-pulleys d, on whose peripheries a series of endless tapes I shaft j.

other mouthpieces. of the rock-shaft communicate by downward tapes 6 pass from the wheels 01 downward to and around wheels f, carried on a cross-shaft mounted in the forward extensions 0, of the frame, and from the wheels f they pass back over the rotating guide-wheels h on the shaft h to the pulleys d. The shaft h is rotated by means of a crossed driving-cord t', which passes around the grooved pulley t" on the shaft h and the driver-pulley i on the main The shaft 1) is rocked by means of rack-and-pinion mechanism, consisting of the pinion b at the right-hand end of the shaft, whose teeth mesh with the teeth of the rack b (see Fig. 3,) whose lower end is pivoted at b to a bar boltedto the wheel 6 The rack is maintained in engagement with the pinion b by means of the spring I), whose one end is secured on the reduced extension of the shaft 1), while its other end is attached to a pin b hinged to the frame a at the back of the rack.

. There is arranged on the hollow rock-shaft 1), between the pulleys d, a series of suction nozzles or tentacles for lifting the paper sheets by suctionone at a time from the sheetholder and delivering them to the tapes 6. These nozzles or tentacles may for rough or uneven paper be provided with rubber or The sleeves c at the ends extensions 0 with two suction-pumps Z Z of any suitable and well-known construction. The pistons Z of these pumps have (see Fig. 7) depending piston-rods Z which pass downward through the bottoms of the cylinders Z Each piston-rod is weighted at its lower end, as shown at Z In Fig. 1. only one piston-rod is shown complete, the right-hand one being broken away to show more clearly the mechanism behind it. The weights Z cause the down or suction stroke of the piston of each cylinder, and as the weights can be varied the load can be regulated so as to suit the suction desired. The upstroke of the pistons is caused by means of chains Z running over chain-wheels 1, carried on studs Z andconnected to the traveling carriage (not shown) of the printing-machine. As will be seen by dotted lines at Fig. 2 and also at Fig. 7, the lower end of each chain Z is attached to an arm Z on the piston-rod Z of each pump.

e (one for each wheel) run. These endless The main shaf t j is driven from the drivingshaft of the printing-machine by means of an endless chain j, which passes around the chain-wheel 7' keyed to the shaft j.

The sheet-holder consists of a board or frame '12, (see also Figs. 4, 5, and 6,) having a number of longitudinal slots at and two cross-slots n in it and which is adj ustably secured by means of guide-bars n n at each side to two cross-shafts n u. The bars n n, which rest in grooved pulleys n on the shafts n n, are connected together at their lower ends by a cross-board 11 which has on it two latches a engaging with nicks on the bars n. The holder has also a central longitudinal slot n, and it is counterweighted by means of a weight a attached by chains n to the bottom of the holder in such a manner, as

shown, that the holder is normally held in its inclined position, so as to present the sheets of paper to be printed properly to the tentacles 7c, and it can be released from this normal position by means of suitable mechans ism, as hereinafter described. The chains n pass over the chain-wheels n on the revoluble shaft n.

02 Figs. 4 and 6, indicates the sheets ofpaper to be printed, while @2 are gages which are adjustable within the slots 11 and n is a gagesfork which is adjustable within the slot n Each gage has a clamping thumbscrew, as shown. By means of these gages the paper sheets can be adjusted and held in the. proper position on the board or holder. When the board is in the inclined position,

, Figs. 1 and 6, the paper sheets rest edgewise upon the gage-fork n Whenever it is desired to place the sheets of paper upon the holder, the latter can be brought into the horizontal position, Figs. 4 and 5, against the action of the counterweight n by merely lifting the latches it (see Figs. 1 4:, and 6) out of engagement with the nicks n at the lower ends of the bottom bars a and then pulling out these bars to such an extent as to enable their inner ends to clear the back cross-shaft n whereupon the holder, with its guide-bars can be turned upon the front cross-shaft n as upon a hinge and brought to the position shown at Figs. 4 and 5.

Fitted in connection with the holdern is a pinching-board o,which is bolted to the frame CL in an inclined position corresponding to the inclined position-of the holder. This board 0 has longitudinal slots 0, (see Figs. 4, 5, and 6,) through which the gage-fork (or forks) n can pass freely, and also cross-slots 0?, through which the gages n can pass. Itis necessary that at each downward movement of the suction nozzles or tentacles, is and up to the time when said tentacles have taken a hold of the front sheet of paper the paper sheets should be held pressed against the pinching-board 0, and this is done by means of the weight a which is sufficiently heavy to cause the holder to press the sheets of paper firmlyagainst the' pinching-board, and thereby compress or pinch them. The result of this is that owing to the fact that the paper sheets projecta few inches above the board 0, as clearly shown at Fig. 6, the body only of the paper sheets is tightly pinched, while the upper ends of the sheets are free and, being free, open out slightly at their upper edges, thereby facilitating the removal of the sheets and lessening the likelihood of more than one sheet of paper being lifted at a time. sary when a sheet is just about to be removed by the suction-tentacles and during the action of. removal that there should be no pinching pressure on the sheets, and this is accomplished by allowing the holder to recede slightly under the action of its own gravity.

at the proper time. This recession is allowed to take place once in each revolution of the main shaft j by means of a cam 19 on said shaft which acts upon a friction-roller p on the lever 19 One end of the lever 19 is forked, and the fork grasps with a sliding fit the shaft j, while its other end is adjustably secured by means of a slot-and-bolt arrangement p to the lower end of a lever 13 whose upper end is secured on the shaft a. On this shaft is also keyed a ratchet-wheel 19 with which a pawl 19,- pivotally secured to the lever 12 can be made to engage,the pawl being normally held in engagement byaspring 10 In conjunction with this mechanism there is a depending finger p, which is capable of disengaging the pawl p from the ratchetwheel when the front arm of the pawl strikes against it. The. finger p is bolted to the frame a., The arrangement is such that (the levers-19 and 19 being properly adjusted and connected together) each time a paper sheet is about to be lifted the cam 19 actuates the roller 19 and lever 19", so as to move the lever 10 and the pawl 19 which is now in engagement with the ratchet-wheel, and thereby ,move the latter around a certain distance,

thus relieving the weight; from the chains and allowing the holder to move backward in its guide-bars n n by gravity. The holder remains in this back position until the flattened face of the cam 11 bears against the roller 10', when the action of the weight at once rotates the chain-wheels n and pulls forward the holder, so as to again compress the sheets against the board ready for the I next descent of the suction-tentacles.

This action of the weight n and holder also compensates for each sheet withdrawn from the pile. At each upward movement of the tentacles a sheet is taken from the pile and delivered to the traveling tapes 6, by means of i which it is conducted to the printing-cylinder.

The sheets retain their position in the holder by gravity. For the purpose of grippingthe sheets as they are delivered by the suctiontentacles to the tapes small rubber-tired friction-wheels g on an overhead shaft q are provided, as usual.

It is necessary that the suction should not act gradually but as suddenly as possible It is also necesprovided with a lateral pin r which can be engaged by the catch r of the lever r for the wheel. A cam r is made on each end of the shaft j, and these cams work against the rollers r and at the proper times actuate the levers, so as to free the catches r from engagement with the pins r of the chain-wheels Z With this arrangement when the carriage of the printing-machine is traveling forward 1). e.,-

away from the feeding mechanism) the wheels 1 are revolved so as to pull up the chains 1 and the piston-rods Z of the suctionpumps. During this revolution of the wheels Z their pins ride over the upper tapered ends of the catches r WVhen the carriage is on its backward movement, the weights of the piston-rods would actuate the chain-wheels, but they are prevented from doing so by the catches 9' until the proper time-i. 6., when sufficient slack chain has been given in advance of these wheels Z by the continued backward movement of the carriage, at which time the cams 7" come into action and disengage the lever-catches r from the pins, whereupon the weights of the piston-rods are allowed to fall down by gravity, which they do suddenly, and thereby sharply actuate the pistons Z of the pumps and produce a sudden suction at the mouths of the tentacles.

In order to sharply put on and cut off the suction from the pumps, thehollow rock-shaf t I) is, as shown at Fig. 7, made with a cut-out part at each end, where it works in the sleeves, so as to form ports 5, which at each partial revolution communicate with the suctioncylinders. By having these ports in the ends of the hollow shaft said shaft as it turns practically acts as an automatic valve for opening and cutting off communication with the cylinders.

In order to move effectually separate the paper sheets in the holder from each other at their upper ends, so as to facilitate their removal one by one, a blowing device is used, which consists of a blowpipe '6, held in adjustable brackets at each side of the frame. This pipe is provided with aseries of nozzles 25 at its under side, which are, as shown, directed downward, so as to deliver a series of air-jets against the upper edges of the paper sheets. The air-blast in this pipe 25 is created by means of a bellows (not shown) which may be of any ordinary and suitable construction, such as a concertina-bellows or the like, and be located under the machine and be compressed and expanded at the proper times by means of a jointed lever or such like operated by the machine. The pipe 15 leads from the bellows to the blowpipe t. The bellows is arranged so as to cause a blast upon the paper sheets just before and during the time each sheet is being lifted by the tentacles. The whole arrangement is such that at each downward movement of the tentacles 7a a sudden suction is produced in them, whereby the sheets in the holder are lifted one at a time and delivered at the succeeding upward movement of the tentacles to the endless bands 6, by which they are carried to the printing-cylinder.

The parts of the apparatus may obviously be arranged so as to suit other classes of machines besides \Nharfedale printing-machines.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is i 1. In mechanism for feeding paper sheets, the combination with the suction-cylinder, of an inclined sheet-holder arranged to hold the sheets tangential to said suction-cylinder and in contact therewith, a pinch-board coacting with said holder, means for causing the holder to compress the sheets against the pinchboard, and means for operating the holder to relieve the compression on the sheets at the time of operation of the suction-cylinder, substantially as described.

2. In mechanism for feeding paper sheets the combination of a frame, inclined guides fitted in the frame, an inclined sheet-holder carried by the guides, a suction device for removing the sheets from the holder, automatically-acting means for causing the holder to move forward upon the guides and present the sheets to the suction device and means for rendering said automatic means inoperative at certain times so that the holder can, at such times, automatically recede from the suction device, substantially as described.

3. In mechanism for feeding paper sheets the combination of a frame, inclined'guides fitted in the frame, an inclined sheet-holder carried by the guides, a suction device for removing the sheets from the holder, chain and weight mechanism for causing the holder to move forward upon the guides and present the sheets to the suction device and means for slackening the chains at certain times in order that the holder may at such times automaticallyrecede from the suction device, substantially as described.

4. In mechanism for feeding paper sheets the combination of a frame, inclined guides fitted in the frame, an inclined sheet-holder carried by the guides, a suction device for removing the sheets from the holder, chain and weight mechanism for causing the holder to move forward upon the guides and present the sheets to the suction device and ratchet mechanism operated by a rotating cam for slackening the chains at certain times inorder that the holder may, at such times, automatically recede from the suction device, substantially as described.

5. In mechanism for feeding paper sheets the combination of a frame, inclined guides fitted in the frame, an inclined sheet-holder carried by the guides, a suction-roller for removing the sheets from the holder, endless feeding-tapes passing around the suctionroller, automatically-acting means for causing the holder to move forward upon the.

cylinder, of an inclined sheet-holderarranged to hold the sheets tangential to said suctioncylinder, a pinch-board coacting with said holder, means for causing the holder to compress the sheets against the pinch-board, and means for operating the holder to relieve the compression on the sheets at the time of operation of the suction-cylinder, substantially as described.

7. In pneumatic mechanism for feeding paper sheets, the combination with the suctioncylinder, of an inclined sheet-holder arranged to hold the sheets tangential to said suctioncylinder, a pinch-board secured in the machine at the same angle of inclination as the sheet-holder and which is shorter than the sheet-holder, means for causing the holder to compress the sheets against the pinch-board with the exception of their upper ends which are free and which can consequently open out, and means for blowing upon the sheets when so opened out, substantially as described.

8. In pneumatic mechanism for feeding paper sheets, the combination with the suctioncylinder, of an inclined sheet-holder arranged to hold the sheets tangential to said suctioncylinder, a pinch-board secured in the machine at the same angle of inclination as the sheet-holder and which is shorter than the sheet-holder, means for causing the holder to compress the sheets against the pinch-board with the exception of their upper ends which are free and which can consequently open out and means for operating the holder so as to relieve the compression on the sheets at the time of operation of the suction-cylinder, substantially as set forth.

9. In mechanism for feeding paper sheets, the combination of a' frame, a movable inclined sheet-holder fitted to the frame, means for moving the sheet-holder and means whereby the holder can be lowered down from the 11. In mechanism for feeding paper sheets 4 the combination of a frame, an inclined sheetholder fitted in the frame, means for retaining the sheets on the holder in the inclined position and upon edge, suction means for withdrawing the sheets from the holder, pumps for producing the suction and pistons in the pumps which are actuated in one direction by chains attached to the traveling carriage of the machine and in the other di-v rection by weights, substantially as set forth.

12 In mechanism for feeding paper sheets the combination of a frame, an inclined sheetholder fitted in the frame, means for retaining the sheets on the holder in the inclined position and upon edge, suction means for withdrawing the sheets from the holder, pumps for producing the suction, pistons in the pumps which are actuated in one direction by chains attached to the traveling carriage of the machine and in the other direction by weights and means for insuring a sudden action ot the weights, substantially as set forth.

13. In mechanism for feeding paper sheets the combination of a frame, an inclined sheetholder fitted in the frame, means for retaining the sheets on the holder in the inclined position and upon edge, suction means consisting of a hollow rock-shaft provided with a series of nozzles for withdrawing the sheets from the holder, means for producing a suction in the hollow rock-shaft, means for regulating the suction produced, and means for operating the rock-shaft, substantially as set forth.

14. In mechanism for feeding paper sheets the combination of a frame, an inclined sheetholder fittedin the frame, means for retaining the sheets on the holder in the inclined position and upon edge, suction means consisting of a hollow rock-shaft provided with a series of nozzles for withdrawing the sheets from the holder, means for producinga suction in the hollow rock-shaft consisting of two pumps arranged one at each side of the machine and actuated, alternately, in one direction by weights and in the other by the traveling carriage of the machine, means connecting the carriage with the pump pistonrods, and means for operating the rock-shaft, substantially as set forth.

15, In mechanism for feeding paper sheets the combination of a frame, an inclined sheetholder fitted in the frame, means for retaining the sheets on the holder in the inclined position and upon edge, suction means con-. sisting of a hollow rock-shaft provided with a series of nozzles for withdrawing the sheets from the holder, means for producing a suction in the hollow rock-shaft, a pinion on the end of the rock-shaft, a rack gearing with the pinion, at its upper end and jointed, at its lower end, to a wheel on the main shaft of the machine, and a hinged pin-and-spring device for retaining the rack in gear with the pinion, and means for operating said main shaft, sub stantially as set forth.

16. In mechanism for feeding paper sheets the combination of aframe, an inclined sheetholder fitted in the frame, means for retaining the sheets on the holder in the inclined position and upon edge, suction means consisting of a hollow rock-shaft provided with a series of nozzles for withdrawing the sheets from the holder, piston suction-pumps for producing a suction in the rock-shaft, ports in the rock-shaft sleeves on the rock-shaft, extensions connecting the sleeves with the pump-cylinders, piston-rods connected with the pistons of the pumps, adjustable weights on the piston-rods, arms on the piston-rods, chains connected to the arms and passing over chain-wheels to the traveling carriage of the printing or other machine to which the feeder is fitted, substantially as set forth.

17. In mechanism for feeding paper sheets the combination of a frame, an inclined sheetholder fitted in the frame, means for retaining the sheets on the holder in the inclined position and upon edge, suction means consisting of a hollow rock-shaft provided with a series of nozzles for withdrawing the sheets from the holder, piston suction-pumps for producing a suction in the rock-shaft, ports in the rock-shaft sleeves on the rock-shaft, extensions connecting the sleeves with the pump-cylinders, piston-rods connected with the pistons of the pumps, adjustable weights on the piston-rods, arms on the piston-rods, chains connected to the arms and passing over chain-wheels to the traveling carriage of the printing or other machine to which the feeder is fitted, pins on the chain-wheels, levers 0" fulcrumed on a shaft 0" and provided with catches 'r at one end and rollers r at the other end, cams 0' for operating the levers and means for operating the cams r substantially as set forth.

18. In mechanism for feeding paper sheets the combination of a frame, an inclined sheetholder fitted in the frame, means for retaining the sheets on the holder in the inclined position and upon edge, suction means consisting of a hollow rock-shaft provided with a series of nozzles for withdrawing the sheets from the holder, a series of pulleys on the rock-shaft, endless tapes passing over the pulleys and over pulleys on the frame of the machine, means for operating the tapes, means for producing a suction in the hollow rockshaft, and means for operating the rock-shaft, substantially as set forth.

10. The holder it made with a series of slots 7b, a slot n cross-slots n adjustable gages n fitted in the slots 41 and a fork-gage n fitted in the slot of, substantially as set forth.

20. The holder a made with a series of slots at, a slot n cross-slots of, adjustable gages n fitted in the slots 41. a fork-gage n fitted in the slot 717, a pinching-board combined with the holder and slots 0 0 in the pinchingboard, substantially as set forth.

21. In combination, the holder, the guidebars, and the supports upon which said guides are mounted to have a sliding and a rocking motion, substantially as described.

22. The combination of the holder 07., the guide-bars a n, for the holder, shafts n n for supporting the guide-bars, rollers 01 on these shafts, a board 01, connecting the guidebars and means for locking the bars 17. to the board, substantially as set forth.

23. The combination of the holder n, the guide-bars n n for the holder, shafts n n for supporting the guide-bars, rollers n 011' these shafts, a board "11 connecting the guidebars and latches n for locking the bars 01 to or disengaging them from the board at, substantially as set forth.

24. The combination of the holder 91, the guide-bars n n for the holder, supports for holding the guide-bars in an inclined position, a weight connected to the holder for the purpose of drawing it forward, and mechanism for checking the action of the weight when necessary, substantially as set forth.

25. The combination of the holder at, the guide-bars 11. n for the holder, supports for theguide-bars, chains connected to the holder and passing over chain-wheels, a cross-shaft carrying the chain-wheels, and a weight connected to the chains for the purpose of drawing the holder forward, substantially as described.

26. The combination of theholder n, the guide-bars n n for the holder supports for holding the guide-bars in an inclined position, a weight connected to the holder by chains, chain-wheels over which the chains pass, a shaft carrying the chain-wheels, a ratchetwheel on the shaft, a lever 19 on the shaft, a pawl 19 on the lever, a spring 13 forcing the pawl into engagement with said ratchetwheel, the finger 19 a lever 19 jointed to the lever 13', a roller p on the lever 19 a cam 19 which acts on the roller, and means for operating the cam, substantially as set forth.

Signed at Glasgow, in the county of Glasgow, Scotland, this 16th day of December, 1898.

WILLIAM CARTER.

WVitnesses:

H. D. FITZPATRICK, THOMAS GRACE. 

